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Man collects $340K in deceased mother's federal benefits

A Washington, D.C. man was sentenced to 14 months in jail after he pleaded guilty
to the theft of more than $340,000 in Social Security retirement benefits and
annuity benefits from the Office of Personnel Management meant for his deceased
mother.

Eugene Weatherford, 60, admitted in the U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia that he had stolen approximately $346,522 — $255,038 in Social
Security benefits and $91,484 in OPM annuity benefits — from March 1999
through June 2012.

According to a release from the
Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, Weatherford
continued to receive Social Security and OPM checks after his mother died in
February 1999. The checks were deposited into a joint bank account. Weatherford
admitted endorsing checks with his or his mother's name. Other times, he left the
endorsement blank.

On Aug. 13, U.S. District Court Judge Richard W. Roberts ordered Weatherford to
pay back the $346,522 in restitution. After his incarceration, Weatherford will be
on 36 months of supervised release. He will also have to complete 50 hours of
community service.

U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the
Social Security's IG office and OPM Inspector General Patrick E. McFarland
commended the efforts of the staffs in both IG offices and the U.S. Attorney's
Office for their investigation of the case.